London Dec 7, (PA Media/dpa/GNA) – People have told of their relief after they were finally reconnected after 10 days without electricity.
Electrical distribution company Northern Powergrid is in its “last push” to restore electricity in areas of Britain after it was cut off by Storm Arwen, which battered the country during the last days of November.
The same homes are now expected to be hit by Storm Barra, which has already made its effects felt across Britain and Ireland, with gusty winds battering communities.
The Meteorological Office said it is likely that Barra will not be as bad as Arwen, but that disruption to the travel network is likely, with snow and heavy rain in some areas until Wednesday.
Elsewhere, some short-term loss of power is possible due to the wind.
On Monday night, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said more than 1,000 homes were still left without power but that he was assured by Northern Powergrid boss, Phil Jones, that “affected properties would be reconnected tomorrow (Tuesday) at the latest.”
Johnson expressed frustration at the situation, saying “too many people have spent too long without power” and said the situation in northern England was not acceptable.
Stewart Sexton, 57, said his power at his home near Alnwick has finally been restored after 10 days.
Sexton said he and his partner, Jane, were forced to live without power from November 26 after a telegraph pole in their village snapped. He said they used candles for light and used a wood-burning stove to heat up pans of water to wash and make hot drinks.
“It has been absolutely exhausting. Even today, I still haven’t warmed through yet. It feels like you’ve been camping or to a 10-day music festival. How elderly people and people with young children coped is beyond me,” he said.
Despite assurances that Storm Barra will not be as devastating as its predecessor, forecasters say there is “a small chance” that larger-than-usual waves in coastal areas could present a risk of injury or potentially a threat to life if wild winds whip street furniture and beach material into the air.
Heavy snow is expected across parts of Scotland and northern England from late on Tuesday morning, the Meteorological Office said, although mostly between the Scottish Highlands and the Pennines.
Source: Ghana News Agency
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